“This is completely unacceptable,” says Mr Arne Andersson, head of the National Food Administration’s, NFA, control unit to Swedish daily UNT in a comment to the findings on imported Thai vegetables. “Some pesticides found belong to the most poisonous ones.”
It was during the NFA’s annual 2002 pesticide survey – where a total of 2 297 samples from fruits, grain and vegetables were analysed for 221 different pesticides, writes the NFA in a press release.
The allowed limits of pesticide content were exceeded in 79 samples, 3 of those were Swedish and the remainder imported.
Out of 22 analysed Thai samples 14 contained pesticides. And 10 of the 14 samples with pesticides did not make it, says the NFA.
The analysed samples from Thailand consisted of various bean species, morning glory and cabbages. All imported in small quantities by individual restaurants and shops.
“The NFA has initiated a program for improved control, for example to classify new goods. This will make it easier for us to keep incoming shipments if the limit has been exceeded,” says Arne Andersson in the NFA release.
